Blank-gumming machine.



No. 890,309. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. P. S. SMITH.

BLANK GUMMING MACHINE.

AP PLIOATION FILED JULY 19,1964.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 890309. v PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. P. 8. SMITH.

BLANK GUMMING MACHINE.

- urucnron rILnn IULY19.1904.

2 BHBBTB-SHEET 2.

PHILIP S. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. v

BLANK-GUMMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908 Application filed July 19, 1904. Serial No. 217,182.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP S. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Blank-Gumming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to new and use ful improvements in blank gumming machines em loyed in the manufacture of paper boxes, an it is especially designed to apply an adhesive to a paper blank which is afterwards to be applied as a covering for a previously completed box shell in such a manner as to produce a box of the type generally designated as loose wrapped; that is, a box having acovering blank wrapped smoothly aroundthe exterior walls thereof, with its marginal edges folded over the upper edges of the walls of the box shell, turned down into the box and pasted to the inner faces of said walls, the covering being unattached to the exterior of the box.

In an application filed July 29, 1903, and bearing Serial Number 167 ,440 I have shown and described a gummingand covering machine constructed to apply an adhesive to the marginal edges of a covering blank, and associated with the adhesive applying devices, is an automatic stripper to remove the gummed blank from the said devices, and also a mechanism for transferring the blank from the stripper to means for applying the blank to a box shell, and it will be seen, u on reference to said application, that all of t e ste s men'- tioned are automatically performe in sequence until the box is com leted. 'In the present invention, however, t e urpose is to 40 provide a gumming machine in ependent of any determined covering mechanism, in which the blanks, after having the adhesive applied, may be removed and transferred to the covering machine by hand, thereby dispensing with a transfer means and rendering the gumming machine capable of use in connection with any covering machine desired.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a gumming machine in which the blank will not be permitted to adhere to the devices for applying the adhesive, and which embody means operating to hold the blank during the operation of gumming and to release the blank to ermit it to be Withdrawn after the adhesive as been applied.

A further object is to provide in connection with devices to apply gum to the margins of the blank, means to engage the major portion of the blank with the exception of the ortion to which the adhesive is directly app ied, to hold the blank flat and stationary during the gumming operation, and to hold the blank during the return of the gum applying devices so that the blank will be stripped from said devices, and subsequently released by said means to permit its withdrawal.

A further object is to provide a combined strip er and means for holding the blank, which will be controlled by the gum ap lying means, to both engage and release theb A further object is to provide means for suspending operation of the gum a plying devices, when the machine is starte to insure an effectual and complete application of adhesive to the said devices, so that the lank..

defective gumming of the blanks may be avoided when the machine is started.

Broadly and generally stated, the invention embodies a support for one or a number of covering blanks, a gum applying device movable toward and away from the blank and'constructed to apply an adhesive to the marginal edges of the blank, and means for holding the blank fiat prior to, and during the application of the adhesive and o erating to release the blank after the ad esive has been ap lied.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings to be taken as a part of this application and where- 1n- Figure 1, is a view in front elevation of a gum applying machine embodying my invention, both the gum applying means and the stripper being elevated out of engagement with the up ermost of a pack of blanks, the said means l feing in position to receive a supply of adhesive; Fig. 2, is a view in end elevation, art of the frame-work being in section, the e ements bearing the same relation as shown in Fig. 1, and also illustrating the means for operating the said elements. Fig. 3, is a view in front elevation, showing the stripper in engagement with the top blank of the pack, and the adhesive applying devices bearing relation thereto as immediately sub- .area as to suit it to the purposes to which it may be ut, said table being supported upon suitable egs or standards 2, the construction of which is immaterial to the purposes of this invention. Extending through this table 1, and vertically movable up and down therethrough, is a feed post 3, carrying at its upper end a rectangular supporting plate 4,

' adapted to receive flatwise a covering blank,

or a pack of blanks a, asshown in the several figures of the drawings. Adjustably supported upon the table 1, are a plurality of vertical gages 5, cooperating wit 1 slots (not shown) in the supporting plate 4, by means of which the space for the confinement of the blanks to be gummed may be regulated to suit the size of said blanks, and in order to center them in proper position beneath the gumming means, substantially as shown and described in my former application bearing date and serial number heretofore referred to.

Rising above the table 4, and extending thereover, is a supporting frame upon which are arranged in operative relation the various elements embodying the means for applying the adhesive to the blanks, and also the holding and stripping means for the blanks being acted upon. This supporting frame is constructed of two opposltely arranged eurved members 6, 6, the lower ends of which are rigidly mounted on the table 1, which extends over the table towards each other and meet at their upper terminals to constitute a supporting arch 7, the upper ends of said members bein spaced apart from each other and provided with vertically projecting extensions 8, 9, which are connected at their upper ends by a cross piece 10, having a bearing aperture 11, extending. therethrough for a purpose to presently appear. At the lower portion thereof, the meeting ends of the members 6, 6, are connected by a second cross-piece 12, having a bearing aperture 13, located in vertical registration with the one in the cross-piece 10, above mentioned. Located on the 0 14 and 15, one set of alining brackets being .site sldes of the cross-p1ece 10, and ad acent upon each side of the arch 7, substantially as shown in the drawings. Extending through the bearing apertures 11 and 13, formed in the cross-pieces 10 and 12, is a vertically reciprocating plunger rod 18, said rod being of such length that during its reciprocation the upper end will always extend above the cross-piece 10, and its lower end will project below the arch 7, into the space between said arch and the blank pack. Carried by the lower end of this rod 18, is a head 19, provided with four arms 20, upon each of which is adj ustably mounted ants; 5L1 hesive applying device consisting of a flexible strip 21, secured to the lower end of a depending bracket 22, which latter has an o ening in its upper end which receives one o the arms 20, to which it is adjustably secured by means of a set screw 23. The construction of the adhesive ap lying head as above described, is substantia ly the same as that disclosed in my prior application, and the arrangement is such that the adhesive applying stri s may be adjusted on the arms to accommodate covering blanks of different sizes. r

The head 19, as above described isconstructed to be lowered so that the gumming strips may be pressed into engagement with the uppermost blank of the pack, and then moved upwards so that the blank may be removed from the stack after the adhesive has been supplied thereto, and the means for accomplishing these movements of said head will now be described. Extending rearwardly from the arch frame is an arm 24, in the end of which is j ournaled a rock-shaft 25, and on this rock-shaft is a forwardly extending crank arm 26, having a link connection 27, with a block 28, which is rigidly mounted upon the plunger rod 18. This shaft 25, is a so provided with an additional crank arm 29, to the free end of which is pivoted one end of a connecting rod 30, theopposite end of which is connected to a rock-arm 31, ata point intermediate its ends, said arm 31, belng pivoted at one end as at 32, to the framewor of the machine (not shown). The opposite or free end of the arm 31, carries an anti-friction roller 33, which travels upon the periphery of a strap-cam 34, secured upon one of the side faces of a rotating disk 35, mounted u on a shaft 36, to which rotation is impartec in any desired manner. This cam is formed substantially as shown in the drawings, in order to obtain certain movements of the gumming head, to be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Carried at the upper end of the plunger rod 18, is a collar 36, provided with a laterally projecting arm 37, the end of which has secured thereto one end of a connecting rod38, the o osite end of which engages with anv suitali e means, not shown, for imparting to sive to the blank, that the tendency will be for said blank to adhere to the flexible strips 21, and be carried upwards with the head, so that the ready removal of'the blanks from the umming machine will be obstructed and the liability of tearing or marring the blanks be increased, and in order to obvlate the exigencies mentioned, I provide in connection .with the adhesive ap lying head, a means for holding the blank at and stationary during the period the adhesive is bein applied thereto, and stripping the same rom the head subsequent to the gumming operation when the head is retracted, and this means constitutes one of the salient features of the invention, and which means will now be described.

Extending through each pair of bearing brackets 15, 17, and 14, 16, is a vertically reciprocating rod 39, as shown in the drawings, there being two of said rods arallel to each other and of a length sli ht y greater than the lunger rod carrying t e adhesive ap lyin sad, and located on o osite sides 0 the e gP arch and said 'lunger ro At their upper endswhich at 51 times pro'ect above the upper end of the plunger ro 18, said rods 39, are connected by means of a cross head 40, which not only serves to rigidly unite the said rods and maintain them in'parallel relation, but also serves as an abutment to cooperate with the plunger-rod 18, in a manner to be made ap arent hereinafter. The lower ends of the ro s 39, terminate beneath the head 19 in the s ace between the brackets carrying the mar ing strips, said rods being projected between diagonally op osite angles between the arms 20, and slidab y arranged in bearing ears 41, on the head 19, as shown in the drawings. Secured to the lower ends'of said rods 39, is a plate 42, to the underside of which, in any suitable manner, as by screws 43, is secured a holding and stripper block 44, which is of an area suflicient'to cover substantially all of the blank, being operated upon with the exception of thatportion to which the adhesive is directly ap lied. It will be understood that this block 44 is readily removable and interchangeable in order that blocks of different sizes may be employed commensurate to the area of the blank being acted u on and the space maintained between the a justable strips 21.

The normal position of the strip ing block is that shown in Fig. 1, in which tlibhead 19 season vchine when the head 19 is in elevated is elevated above the blank pack and the block is raised vertically to assume a position removed from the stack within the head 19, and above the stri s 21, means being provided to hold the blbck in the elevated posi tion, said means being operable by the downward movement of the plunger rod 18, to release the block to permit its descent by gravity into contact with the next blank to be treated. This means for supporting the stripper block in elevated position and for releasing the same in the manner stated, will now be described. Rigidly bolted as at 45, upon the outer face of the extension 9 of the frame, is the lower end 46, of a vertically extending bracket arm 47, the inner face. of which, at a point adjacent the u a per end of the extension 9, is provided with a-bearing Mg 48, in which is pivoted the lower end of a vertically projecting arm 49, constituting a pivoted catch, the upper end of which terminates at a point just beneath the crosshead 49, when the stripper block is elevated and which catch engages said cross-head to maintain the said block in itsupper osition. In order to throw the arm 49 under t e crosshead 40, to engage the same, I provide the upper end of the bracket arm 47, with an inwardly directed pin 50, upon which is arranged an expansive coil spring 51, hearing Wit its ends against the arm 49 and the bracket 47, and exerting its force to attain the object mentioned.

The pivoted arm 49, is provided upon its side towards the plunger rod 18, with a projection 52, which projects inwardly toward said plunger rod and is so located as to be in the path of alug 53, on the collar 36, which lug on the downward movement of the plunger rod 18, strikes said projection 52, and throws to drop by gravity into place on the surface of the top blank on the pack a, there being sufficient s ace between the cross-head 40' and the co ar 36, to permit the block 44 to gain on the head 19, and reach the stack in advance of the adhesive applying stri s.

Means is provided for automatical y su plying adhesive to the strips 21, at suitab e timed intervals in the operation of the maos1- tion. The means referred to is substantially the same as that shown in my application for Letters Patent heretofore mentioned, and may be stated briefly as consisting of a tank or receptacle 54, for the li uid adhesive, a feed roller 55, to take the adhesive from the tank, a spreading roller 56, to distribute the same on the roller 55, and a supply roller 57 to which the adhesive is transferred by the roller 55. The roller 57 is journaled in a carriage 58 which travels back and forth beneath the strips 21, on a track 59 sup orted on the members 6,6, of-the arch 7,.sa1 roller 57in its movements, contactin .the strips- 21, to distribute the adhesive t ereon.

As heretofore stated, when the machine has stood motionless for a while and is then started up, a number of the blanks are liable to be imperfectly gummed or even destroyed, owing to the fact that the applying strips 21 have become dry or are only partially supplied with adhesive. To provide for t e strips 21, being completely supplied with adhesive preparatory to the movement of said strips, into engagement with the blank, I provide means whereby the gumming head may be held in its elevated position against descent during the operation of the machine, which means is constructed as follows: Mounted upon the front of the arch 7, is a vertically extending arm 59, at the upper end of which is pivoted, as at 60, the lower end of a latch 61, formed with a lip 62, said latch being movable inwardly to permit the lip thereof to project under the block 28, to prevent downward movement of the plunger rod 18 and hold the head 19 in position to permit a distribution of the adhesiveupon the strips 21. Projecting from the arm 59, is a bracket 63, having an'opening 64, and extendin through this opening is an operating handle 65, the inner end of whlch is pivoted to the upper end of the latch 61, as at 66. This handle 65 is providedon its under face with a recess 67, which, when the handle is pulled outwardly to withdraw the catch from under the block 28, cooperates with the wall of the opening 64, to lock the latch against inward movement.

In order to securely maintain the handle .65 with its recess in enga ement with the wall of the opening, and a soto serve as a means to automatically throw the catch into operative relation to the block 28, a contractile spring 68, is provided, having'one of its ends connected to the handle 65 and the other secured to the bracket arm 59, at a point'to one side the center of the pivot 60 of the catch, toward the plunger rod, the function of the spring being to exert a downward pull on the handle 65, and to throw the catch into the path of movement of the block 28. To lock the head against operation, when it reaches its uppermost position, the handle is raised tofree the recess from the bracket arm 63, and the spring exerts its force to throw the catch inwards until the lip 62 projects beneath the block 28, and vengksiges the same for the purpose mentioned.

of the elements being constructed and arranged as above described, the operation of the complete machine, is as follows: The

elements being in the position shown in Fig.

the lug 53 on the collar 36, will engage the projection 52 on the pivoted arm 49, to move blank having been gummed, the head 19- starts to move upwardly and continues such upward movement independently of the stripper block 44, which remains in place-on the blank until the adhesive applying strips are completely free therefrom, at which time the continued upward movement ofthe plunger rod 18, brings the collar 36, into engagement with the cross-head 40, and the head 19 and stripper block then travel upward together, the block following the head, until the cross-head 40, is brought above the pivoted arm 49, which moves outwardly and engages said cross-head to hold thestripperblock in elevated position. The stri )per block being locked against descent, the p unger-rod 18 descends a sufficient distance to bring the strips 21 below the under surface of the block 44, and the roll 57 may thenoperate to supply the adhesive to said strips after which the operation continues as above set forth.

It will be understood that subsequent to the combination with a blank support, and an adhesive applying means having movement relative to each other, said means com- 110 prising a' head'provided with arms having adhesive ap lying stri s adjustablymounted thereon an arranged to apply adhesive to opposite edges of a blank, of a reciprocating member, a stripper block detachably secured to said member, and arranged within the space bounded by said applying strips and having an area substantially co-extensive therewith, said block having a movement independent of the applying means whereby it is rought into engagement with the blank prior to the application of the adhesive to the lank, and means to remove the block from engagement with the blank after the adhesive has been applied to the latter.

2. In a maclune of the character described, the combination with a blank support and an adhesive applying means having relative movement toward and away from each other, said means comprising a head provided with arms having adhesive applying strips adjustably mounted thereon and arranged to apply adhesive to opposite edges of a blank, a reciprocatory means moving across the path of movement of said head to su ply adhesive to the strips carried thereby, of a reci rocatory member, a stripper'block detachably secured to said member, and arranged within the space bounded by said applying-strips and having an area substantlally coextensive therewith, said block having a movement independent of the applying means whereby it is rought into engagement with a blankprior to the ap )lication of the adhesive to the blank, ant means to remove the block from engagement with the blank after the adhe- SIW) has been applied to the latter.

3. In a maclnne of the character described, a blank support, adhesive applying means movable toward and away from the support,

and means to hold the blank during the application of adhesive, said means being actuated by the applying means.

4. In a machine of the character described, a blank support, adhesive applying devices movable toward and away from the support, a blank holdin means, supporting means to maintain said Iiolding means removed from the blank, and means'whereby the applying devices control the supporting means.

5. In a machine of the character described, a blank support, reciprocating adhesive applying mechanism movim toward and away from the support, blank holding means also movable toward and away from the sup ort, locking means to maintain said ho din means normally removed from the support, and means carried by the applying mechanism and cooperating with the locking means to release the holding means on the downward stroke of the ap lying mechanism.

6. In a machine of the character described, a blank su )port, a plunger carrying adhesive applying devices, and movable toward and away from the support, reciprocating rods carrying holding means to hold the blank during the application of adhesive, a crosshead on said rods, a catch engaging the crosshead to maintain the holding means elevated, the plunger cooperating with the catch to move the same away from the cross-head to release the holding means.

7. In a machine of the character described a blank support, a plunger carrying adhesive applying (evices, and movable toward and away from the. support, reciprocating rods carrying holding means to hold the blank during the application of adhesive, a crossheadon said rods, a catch engaging the crosshead to maintain the holding means elevated, the plunger cooperating with the catch to move the same away from the cross-head to release the holding means on the down stroke of the applying means.

8. In a machine of the character described,

a blank su port, a plunger carrying adhesive applying devices, and movable toward and away from the support, reciprocating rods carrying holding means to hold the blank during the application of adhesive, a crosshead on said rods in line of movement of-the plunger, a catch engaging the cross-head to maintain the holding means elevated, the plungerlcotiperating with the catch on its down stroke-to release the holding means to engage a blank, and on its u stroke engaging the cross-head to lift the lolding means.

9. In a machine of the character described, a blank support, adhesive applying devices for applying adhesive to the marginal edges of a blank, means for causing a relative movement between the support and apply ing devices, whereby to bring said devices into engagement with the blank, a stripper for retaining the blank on the support after the gum applying devices have acted. the

stripper being controlled in its operation by the relative movement of the adhesive supplying devices and the blank support.

10. In a machine of the character described, a blank support, adhesix'c applying devices, means for applying adhesive to said devices, means to hold said devices stationary in position to receive adhesive while permitting the continued operation of the machine, and mechanical means for maintaining said holding means in its active and in its inactive positions.

11. In a machine of the character described, a blank support, adhesive applying devices, a block carried by said devices, adhesive supplying means, a catch cooperating with the block to hold said devices stationary in position to receive adhesive while permitting the continued operation of the machine, and mechanical means for holding said catch in its active and in its inactive positions.

12. In a machine of the character dcscribed, the combination of a blank support, adhesive applyingdeviccs, means for reciprocating. said devices to and from the-support, means for supplying adhesive to said devices, a blank engaging element, and means for causin the active portions of said glue applying d e-vice to move below the plane of said lank engagin element to receive a supply of glue, the bl ank engaging element to then move into contact with a blank in ad- Vance of the glue applying device, and maintain' such contact until the glue applying device has receded.

In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set. my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP S. SMITH. Witnesses:

W. H. RICE, GEO. Z. SUTTON. 

